Notes

[1]Written on a memo from G. V. Chicherin, People’s Commissar
for Foreign Affairs, reporting cases of violation of the decision
of the C.C., R.C.P.(B.) that all information on matters of foreign
policy should first be submitted to censorship. Specific mention
was made of an interview given by V. P. Zatonsky (see Vecherniye
Izvestia No. 450, January 26, 1920). Lenin sent the document to
the Russian Telegraph Agency (ROSTA) marked: “To be
returned.” On the same day, P. M. Kerzhentsev, the head of ROSTA,
replied to Lenin that measures had been taken for all
correspondence concerning foreign affairs to be sent to the People’s
Commissariat for Foreign Affairs for perusal. On the letter Lenin wrote:
“To be kept in the dossier on ROSTA.” On February 21, 1920,
in connection with a letter from the People’s Commissariat for
Foreign Affairs about the irresponsible statement of a Moscow
journalist speaking on the radio on questions of Soviet foreign
policy, Lenin again wrote to Kerzhentsev: “Why was this not
sent for censorship? Who is responsible?” (Lenin Miscellany
XXXIV, p. 267.)